KNOXVILLE — Derek Dooley didn’t need much time to find his right-hand man.
Veteran Charlie Baggett, most recently of the St. Louis Rams, was named the University of Tennessee’s assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.
Baggett, who will turn 57 on Thursday, coached nine 1,000-yard receivers in 11 NFL seasons. He’s also been an assistant at Bowling Green, the University of Minnesota and Michigan State. He spent two stints with Michigan State, where he was assistant head coach under Nick Saban from 1995 to ’98.
Baggett’s NFL stops included Houston, Green Bay, Minnesota and Miami. He has coached an impressive list of receivers, including Cris Carter, Randy Moss, Derrick Mason, Andre Rison, Plaxico Burress, Chris Chambers, Muhsin Muhammad, Antonio Freeman, Haywood Jeffries and Webster Slaughter.
Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo told local St. Louis media on Monday that UT was “a good situation” for Baggett.
“It was one of those (opportunities) that he couldn’t say no to,” Spagnuolo said. “It’s with a very good friend of his, and that’s important in this business. Charlie’s a good coach. I wish him a lot of luck.”
Dooley was on the road recruiting Monday and unavailable for comment, but UT issued a news release confirming the addition of Baggett and the retention of offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
Chaney, another veteran NFL and college coach, spent the 2008 season with the Rams but didn’t coach with Baggett, who arrived in St. Louis last season.
Quarterback Nick Stephens was one of many Volunteers hoping over the weekend that Dooley would retain Chaney, who has endeared himself to several Vols with hard coaching and a self-deprecating sense of humor.
“It seems like we’re learning a completely new system every year, so it would be nice to see some of the same coaches and do some of the same stuff we’ve been doing,” Stephens said. “Obviously that’s out of our control, but it would be nice.”
Chaney’s retention was announced Monday, but it’s been common knowledge. The coordinator has told several players and recruits — including Calhoun (Ga.) High School quarterback Nash Nance and wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers — that he planned to stay in Knoxville.
Nance and Rogers, in part because of Chaney’s retention, plan to visit UT officially this month. Nance is a Vanderbilt commitment and Rogers has pledged to Georgia, but the Vols’ new staff plans to recruit them as vigorously as their predecessors.
Assuming Chaney will coach quarterbacks — he coached tight ends last season, but that position has been filled — UT still needs a defensive coordinator and coaches for the defensive line, offensive line, running backs and defensive backs.
Dooley initially retained Willie Mack Garza, Lane Kiffin’s defensive backs coach last season, but Garza’s permanent addition to the new staff has not been announced yet.
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